Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said during a news conference that officers were searching for a suspect Tuesday when they saw 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott exit a vehicle with a handgun. Officers told Scott, who was not the suspect they were looking for, to drop the gun. He got out of the vehicle a second time still carrying it, the chief said, and he was shot because he posed a threat.

Following the shooting, protesters in Charlotte clashed with police in riot gear Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning. At least 16 officers were injured, including one who was hit in the face with a rock.

Scott's family dispelled officer's account of the shooting; they claim that he was unarmed when he was shot by Officer Brentley Vinson, and instead was holding a book.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Chief Kerr Putney told reporters at a Wednesday morning news conference that a handgun was found at the scene, but no book.

Putney said officers gave Scott multiple warnings to put down a handgun before fatally shooting him.